


In A Week

by The_Ghost_King



Series: Hozier Inspired [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: And His Bog Man Powers, Character Study, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Tony Stark, I blame Hozier, Inspired by a Hozier Song, Song: In A Week (Hozier), Title from a Hozier Song, Tony Stark Character Study, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, Why Did I Hurt Him Like This?, i feel bad, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 15:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17942387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Ghost_King/pseuds/The_Ghost_King
Summary: Decay is something Tony knows well. It's an everpresent constant in his life.Something he can never lose.





	In A Week

**Author's Note:**

> It me. Ya boi.
> 
> I was listening to Hozier (as you do) and [ In A Week ](https://youtu.be/Oho-q53uiv4) came on and inspiration struck.
> 
> Enjoy

Tony's body decays throughout his life, as all people's bodies do. It's just that sometimes his body decays quicker.

His cells revived themselves quicker when he was in his youth. As he destroyed his liver with alcohol and destroyed the rest of his body with every drug known to man.

Afghanistan was something else.

Afghanistan was burning burning _burning_ until he was burnt up and then burning some more. Afghanistan was struggling to breathe and sand in his lungs. Afghanistan was decaying kindness and being eaten alive.

Then he fought his way out, leaving more bodies in his wake, like a true Merchant of Death.

Afghanistan was a catalyst more than anything else.

The start of quickening decay and insects craving the taste of him.

* * *

Palladium as stomach acid. Corroding him from the inside out.

He doesn't die.

He's just decaying.

Cell by cell by cell by cell. Until there's nothing left.

Somehow, he lives.

* * *

"You're not the one to make the sacrifice play."

"I've seen the footage."

Who is Captain America to say that he knows him. Who is the reason his father was never going to love him to speak his name. Who is anyone to say they know who Tony is.

Tony doesn't know who he is most of the time. Too busy putting on masks and making new armour. Too preoccupied with every little reason why he's not good enough.

The only constant in Tony's life has been death and subsequent decay. Or just decay.

He's never liked what that insinuates about him.

* * *

Before he falls back through the portal, he looks out at the vast universe and his insignificance is reflected to him once more.

"I put a bullet in my mouth, the other guy spit it out," Bruce had said. Something deep within Tony had wanted to laugh.

Tony had given up on dying a long time ago.

He'd been decaying for as long as he could remember.

* * *

Nightmares make insects crawl closer and foxes yip.

Pepper leaves and he's back in the desert.

Everything is hot and suffocating. Yinsen's eyes are glassy marbles. Stane's breath is warm on his paralysed body. He doesn't know the difference between awake or asleep because everything is equally awful.

Decay speeds up again.

* * *

Ultron was supposed to be a remedy.

"Peace in our time."

It was supposed to stitch Tony's dying cells back together. Reverse years of decay so he could decide when he'd be too torn and worn to continue.

Instead he was choked further.

Instead he got more nightmares.

Instead he lost trust.

Instead he was left alone.

To decay.

* * *

Seeing Barnes kill his parents hadn't hurt Tony.

It was the millionth stab through the heart. The millionth waterboarding session. The millionth nightmare laced with reality.

Steve had known and he was hurt. But something deep within him had expected it. It's what he tended to get after all.

Betrayal. That is.

Contrary to popular belief things still decay in the cold. It preserves nothing.

Sometimes all it does is make the process slow.

Infinitely more painful.

* * *

Peter and Strange and half the universe are dead.

Tony is still there, decaying but unable to follow.

He's never wished to die more than in this moment.

But phoenixes rise from the ashes and therefore so does he.

* * *

The only words that echo in his head are, "we're in the endgame now."

Over and over and over again.

He says his goodbyes to Pepper. Waits to starve or asphyxiate.

Maybe this time decay will descend into rot and it will finally be over.

* * *

Tony opens his eyes and he's not in space anymore.

It's not over.

He _aches_ .

**Author's Note:**

> so yeah that's it.  
> I'm not planning on ever writing a sequel to this, it's just a snippet I thought of but I might post some more Hozier inspired stuff.
> 
> Until next time
> 
>  
> 
> [ My Tumblr ](http://the--ghost--king.tumblr.com/)


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